Souls Entwined
by Asaki Hikaru
Summary: A soldier from the past finds herself in a new world where the creatures of the night roam. In her quest to find her new place, she finds that things on the surface may have changed, but the inner workings remain the same.
1. Prologue

Prologue

The old gears whirred as the device began its final act. Its engineering was solid in that the device only made the slightest of sounds and made no movement from the outside. The lights on the outer control panel blinked as the software went through the necessary built-in precautions and steps to awaken its sleeping occupant.

Air was slowly hissing out of the chamber, creating a visible steam on the outside. The temperature slowly increased so as to not put the occupant into shock. The fluids being filtered through the body changed color, gently waking the nerves and muscles. This process would continue at least for the next hour or so.

Her first sense to return was her touch. She could feel her body becoming warmer as her muscles gained more blood flow. She made no attempt to move any of them. She knew they were not ready. Her body slowly tingled, beginning from her extremities and slowly creeping up to her core. As her lungs continued to expand and contract, she could smell the outside air being filtered in. From the must, she knew she was in a cave still. As she breathed in more and more, she could smell traces of the old animals that had been there, and the new. Her eyes remained shut, with seemingly no intention of opening. She was not worried. All she would see was the inside of this contraption. She merely waited for the program to complete itself, allowing her brain to restore itself to its necessary functionality.

She did not wince as the tubes disconnected themselves from her. The contraption was going to release her soon. Her restraints snapped back, and the door opened, the only sound being the hiss of the hydraulics. She opened her eyes and looked around, remaining in the machine. She was unsure of how well her legs would support her. Extending her senses, she tried to find any dangerous presences within the area. Even with her abilities not at one hundred percent, she would still be able to determine if there was anything truly dangerous out there.

Her right leg lifted first and stepped out. She put her hands on the frame of the doorway to support herself, knowing her arms would hold. Her leg held as she slowly put weight on it. This pleased her. Still leaning on the frame, she put her weight on her right leg and moved her left. With both feet under her, she stood on her own two feet. The lights inside the chamber flickered before going out. It had done very well. She suspected it would live off battery power for the next hour or s before shutting down completely. She wondered how long she had been in there, and more importantly, if it was long enough.

She jumped to a defensive crouch, her hands on the ground and her legs under her, ready to strike if it got any closer. She had seen him before she sensed him, immediately alerting her to danger. How could he have remained so hidden from her? She knew her senses were low, but they were still quite good in comparison to the normal standard. She watched him and waited, not wishing to enter into any unnecessary conflict, especially now.

He came closer and squatted down, placing himself in full view. It seemed he too did not wish to engage into any conflict. She guessed he was slightly taller than her, but built the same way. She could see the muscles beneath his skin. Despite the cold, he wore nothing but a loincloth, and his brown hair had a wild look about it. His eyes were what drew her in. Although large and brown and framed by dark lashes, they had something primal behind them. His forehead was broad, and his jaw strong. His nose was slightly on the larger side, but it fit his face perfectly. His mouth was full, but it seemed to be slightly distorted by something. His neck was thick, proportionately to the medium bulk of his body. She was not sure what to think of him. He was dangerous in that she had not sensed him, and yet he was similar to her in a way she had never known before.

He began speaking to her, but she could not understand him. The language held certain elements from the language of her time, but the dialect was odd to her. Thankfully, the language chip implanted into her years ago was picking up what he was saying and translating them. Eventually she could understand him.

"What are you called?" he asked her, pointing at her to emphasize it, just incase she could still not understand him.

"Ryoko," she replied. Because she was unsure of the language, she did not attempt to ask him the question back. She hoped he would continue speaking so she could learn enough of the language to get by.

He pointed to himself. "Ryule. Can you understand me?"

She lifted a hand and made a so-so gesture.

He nodded, then studied her some more, wondering what to ask her next. She was a strange thing, similar to him, but at the same time different.

She put the sides of her hands together and began to open and close them, as if they were a book. If he had one, then she could learn the basics of the grammar, and even the more advanced forms and be able to communicate easily.

He pulled one out of a bag he carried around his waist and tossed it to her. Neither wanted to be too close to each other. They were still too unfamiliar.

She caught it and began to read. In a matter of minutes she had finished the nearly thousand-page volume. She tossed it back to him.

"Thank you."

He put it back into his pack, never taking his eyes off her. "So where did you come from?"

She backed up and looked at the monitor, still keeping him within her sight. She punched a couple of buttons and read the displayed data. She was shocked, but she hid her emotion and went back to her original position. "When would be the proper question."

He raised an eyebrow at her, wondering what she meant.

"Apparently I've been in there for ten thousand years. Tell me, when is this?"

"This is the 12th millennium."

"So it's true. Part of me was hoping it was a glitch. I wonder if this time will be any different."

He merely looked at her and smiled, his canines showing slightly. "You may be surprised. People don't change very easily. Creatures like us don't fit in with them."

She stood and turned to the capsule and took out two large, metal cases, then shut the door. "I can at least try."

Ryule remained seated, a smile still on his face. He knew there was no one like her with the humans, nor was there someone who would accept her. However, he understood her need to see them, and experience it for herself.

"There's a town to the south of this mountain. You'll be able to start your journey there."

She nodded. "I will remember your kindness. One day I will return the favor."

He watched as she left the cave into the clear night. They would not harm her. Her aura was too dark. She would return. He wondered if she would meet him on her journey. Only fate would decide.

"I wonder how much more you'll learn about yourself."


	2. Some Things Never Change

_Author's Disclaimer: Hello again! I know it's been a while, but I decided to put up another D fic. This one's most likely going to be better than the other considering how I've grown as a writer. I hope you enjoy this one as much as Vampire Tears. Cheers!_

Some Things Never Change

She reached the town the next day, a couple hours after midnight. She looked at the closed and fortified front gate and decided it would be wiser to wait till the morning. Foreboding as the thick steel gates were, Ryoko was comfortable once more with her body. If anything tried to attack her, it would be sorry.

She set up a camp slightly outside the walls so that she could not be seen and waited a couple hours after sunset before going to the gates, which were now opened. There were creatures that roamed around in the night, but none of them came anywhere near her. It was as if they were as curious as Ryule was, or simply afraid. It mattered not to her. She did not wish to be disturbed in any case.

The town was quite busy in the early morning. Merchants were setting up their shops along the main road, and the restaurants and taverns were opening up their doors for breakfast. She noted the stares she was receiving from everyone, even if they were only a hasty glance. Ryule was somewhat right about people not changing. A girl with metallic, long, wavy blue hair and yellow, slightly slitted eyes was uncommon. It did not bother her though. When she was first modified, she had grown accustomed to these changes. She barely remembered what she had looked like before.

She continued to wander around, occasionally sitting on a public bench and watching the citizens. Towards the afternoon, she began seeing a large number of combat-trained men. The uniform patch on their left arm showed that they were all part of the same company, but their discipline was so lax that she questioned if they were any type of military organization. She listened into their conversations and discovered they were part of a mercenary company. She looked up and thanked whichever divine hand gave her this opportunity. Hopefully mercenary companies did not change their recruiting procedures.

She found the recruitment office easily enough. They had set up shop inside the town, taking over a few large buildings and a good amount of land, most likely used for training purposes. There were not many people in line to sign up. She thanked her desired deity once again for her good fortune.

The recruitment officer eyed her from behind the desk as she walked up and set down her metal cases. She stood at the attention and waited for him to speak. She knew he was a fighter from his scarred arms and face and calloused hands. His dark brown hair was speckled with gray, and he made sure his jaw was clean-shaven. She knew she had to impress him. Only someone of a relatively high rank would be so clean cut in a mercenary band.

"Name?" he asked, his voice devoid of emotion and his tone business-like.

"Ryoko."

He wrote it down, not asking for anything more. She remained in attention, but she was relieved that nothing had changed.

"Military experience?" he continued as if this was nothing unordinary.

"Yes, sir," she replied simply and confidently. She felt this was right. Everything was going as she had hoped.

"Specialty?"

"Close combat, spy and sabotage missions, and any other dirty, solo missions required."

"Augmentations?"

"Speed, strength, vision, hearing, and scent."

He wrote everything down easily, still unphased by whatever she said. However, she could sense his apprehension. It seemed that he was looking for someone with her skills, as long as she could pass the tests.

"Do you have any issues you need to deal with before you sign with us?"

"No, sir." Not that it would matter anyway. Any unfinished business she had was long dead.

"This is a copy of our contract," he finished and handed her some papers. "This basically says you will become a member of Brute. Your loyalty is to us before all others. You will follow our rules and regulations or be punished accordingly. You will be paid based upon the jobs you do. During slow months, you will get a monthly stipend to cover your expenses. We will provide you with all your health needs. If you sign this, you belong to us."

Ryoko picked up the pen and signed without question or hesitation. She had no other choice at the moment.

He took back the contract and smiled at her. "At ease, soldier. Welcome to Brute. I'm assigning you to Lieutenant Barge. His squad does the specialty missions, mostly because his boys are heavily augmented. I'm telling you now; they'll throw a lot of shit at you. You're the first green I'll bee sending to them, and the only woman. I'm confident you can handle it."

"Sounds like fun," she replied and relaxed slightly by putting her feet shoulder-width apart. Heavy augmentations would allow her to test her abilities adequately.

The recruiter was pleased. "Go through the door behind me, then take a right. Head outside and towards the guys right out front, about one hundred meters away. They're training right now, so watch out."

"Thank you, sir," she answered and picked up the metal cases. She stood before him, waiting for him to dismiss her.

"Dismissed." He knew the old military types. She would be an excellent addition.

The squad was easy to find, not that the directions were terribly difficult. She found Lieutenant Barge quite easily. The man was at least seven feet tall, and perhaps just as wide. His heavy-set jaw was partially made of metal that gleamed in the light, and his arms and legs were cybernetic. His short-cropped, gray hair told of years of service.

She stood in front of him and set down her cases. He did not notice her, even as she stood at attention. She almost felt like saluting, but that gesture could mean something completely different in this time, so she decided to stand.

"Lieutenant Barge, sir!" she said loudly, almost shouting in order to get his attention.

His gray eyes gleamed as he looked down at her, amusement written all over his rugged face. "You the green?"

"Yes, sir," she answered. She wished she had noticed the wireless communication they had used. It must have been nearly invisible. Technology had certainly come a long way.

"Relax, this isn't the military," he ordered, amused and curious as to what the captain had in mind.

She relaxed, but she was in a position to react quickly to anything unexpected.

"Kinda small for someone with augments," he noted, seeing how she would react.

"I'm sure you'll be surprised, sir," she replied. Even if she was no giant, a woman standing just two inches shy of six feet was no small woman. She had an athletic frame, making her not too lean, but not too thick. It was perfect for what she had been trained to do.

"We'll see. Boys! Round up!"

His voice carried over the field, and a squad of twenty-five men showed up around him, some out of thin air, some bounding out of trees, and some just walking or jogging. Each one of them was different and had their own augmentations. Ryoko was excited to find out every one of them. She moved to the side and studied their movements.

"We have a new member," Barge began, his voice booming. "Say hi to Ryoko."

She stared back as every eye seemed glued to her. She could sense the rising tension and lust. Had she not been around men for most of her life, it would be terrifying to feel all the raw power coming from them. It was truly remarkable for her. Her only concern was that some of them were stronger than her, which would prove a challenge in her setting up her own foothold.

It had to be one of the most tense, awkward silences she had ever experienced. She was not sure if she was supposed to say anything. Then again, she had nothing to say.

"You all know the rules, so play nice. Bower, Clyde, Shiv, she's rooming with you. Training's over for today. Go clean up your smelly, sweaty asses and have fun," he ordered while smirking. He too was interested in what Ryoko would do.

A blond man came up to her, his blue eyes smiling. His hair was not true blond, but more a golden color. Ryoko could tell he was a charmer. He had a leaner frame, but he was around six feet, three inches. He smirked at her, and she narrowed her eyes slightly at him in a glare.

He laughed, amused like everyone else. "I'm Bower. Please, follow me to your new abode."

He made a grand gesture, and then took the lead. She followed, noting the two other men behind her. One was also quite large, but he was a little shorter than Bower. She suspected he had strength augmentations from his thick neck and nearly gorilla-like arms. The other was a smaller man, even shorter than she with a deceptively wiry frame. She noticed that although he tried to control it, his hands would constantly move. His agility would be something she wished to test. However, calculating the best way to overpower them should they attack was more important at the moment than finding out what she could learn. She was almost certain they would try something when they reached the room.

The barracks was once a hotel by the structure of the building. This town was more like a small city then. Then again, she had not really gotten to explore a lot of it. Their room was on the sixth floor. There were four beds total in two bunks. The room was large enough to fit all of them relatively comfortably, as well as hold their possessions. Ryoko assumed this was one of the perks that came with being in this squad of the company.

"Ladies first," Bower insisted as he held the door open for her.

At least manners had not changed. She nodded slightly to him and walked inside. She quickly saw the bed that was to be hers. It was a bottom bunk. She put down the cases in a corner and crouched down to check them, although she already knew they were safe.

The sound of the lock bolting shut only strengthened her hypothesis of them testing her. She remained crouched and used her senses to find where they all were located. She found Bower and the other large guy, but the smaller man was difficult to pinpoint. She could only sense his general location.

"The good Lieutenant gave us a nice reward for our last job, eh? Bower?" one of the men asked as he slowly moved towards her.

"She's a pretty thing," Bower replied. He was standing by the door. "You have to wonder though, why would she want to join up with a merc company? Especially Brute?"

"Who cares? She's ours now," the first man replied.

She stood and put her back to the corner, still in a fighting stance. She was having issues finding that third man, so she decided to keep her back safe against a corner so she could have the most amount of defense and offense while being able to see the entire room.

"Hey, Clyde, I think you scared her," Bower observed, misinterpreting her actions.

"That's ok, she'll love me soon enough, right sweetheart?" Clyde replied, continuing his advance and grinning.

Ryoko crouched down a little lower. It was time to play soon.

Clyde growled. "Shiv! Get her!" he yelled. "Looks like we gotta teach this bitch to answer when she's asked a question."

The ropes came from all directions. She blocked the one that was to go around her neck by catching it on her right wrist, but one got around her waist, and another around her left ankle. She managed to dodge the others, but they were so fast. Her reflexes were either still slow, or Shiv was too fast. There was no point in questioning her abilities. She knew she could beat them. The ropes held tight, then slackened randomly. She noticed Shiv speeding towards her, intent on finishing his bindings, but at the last moment, she grabbed the remaining slack, pulled it tight, then dodged as she flung him headfirst into the wall behind her. He was seeing stars.

Clyde was charging, and she turned and stopped him dead in his tracks. She was thankful that the floor was so strong. She did not have the current strength to overpower him. As they wrestled, she noticed Bower moving, and could hear Shiv slowly coming to. She had to act quickly.

She tapped into her rage and used only a small amount to give herself the boost she needed to twist and throw Clyde off balance, then slamming him down onto Shiv. They would both be out for a little.

She felt a sting in her chest, and it irritated her quite a bit. She pulled out the dart and turned towards Bower, her yellow eyes glowing. In four steps, she was in front of him, and before he could react, she slammed the heel of her hand into his solar plexus, flinging him through the door and throwing his head into the wall on the other side of the hallway.

Clyde had recovered quickly, and he attempted to grab her from behind, but she twisted out and threw him over her head into the same wall, landing him in the wall next to Bower. There was quite an audience now, all standing with their mouths open.

The rope around her wrist twitched, and she turned and saw Shiv flying towards her again. She let him get to where he wanted, then merely stepped to the side and held out her arm. He slammed against it and fell to the floor. For good measure, she gave him a good punch to the head to knock him out. All three were out cold.

She picked up Shiv under one arm and carried him out to the hall. She dislodged Clyde and Bower from the wall. She put Clyde over one shoulder, and Bower over the other. She managed to put Shiv on top of Bower, making the weight relatively even.

She turned to the closest gawker. "Where's the infirmary?"

Although he had the same sort of nervous hands as Shiv, the gunpowder under his nails told a different story. "Just, uh, follow me."

He was quite nervous by his near stuttering, but he led her to the infirmary without any problems. Ryoko was rather pleased with herself. No one was dead.

The doctor merely stared at her as she entered the infirmary, her guide leaving her at the entrance.

"What the Hell happened?' he nearly screamed as he raced over to her. He was a bear of a man, with dark hair on his arms and head, and an impressive beard to match. He was a good half a foot taller than her.

"Argument," Ryoko replied. "Where do you want them?"

The doctor pointed to the empty beds and she deposited her burden onto them easily.

"Who was hurt the worst?"

"I'd say Shiv, the small one. Clyde fell on him and he was hit in the head a couple times. They all had their heads smashed through a wall. Bower may need his chest looked at since I hit him in the solar plexus."

The doctor checked them, and then proceeded to stare at her. She could not help but notice the twinkle of admiration and amusement in his eyes. They were only bruised.

She smiled a little, but the moment ended abruptly as Lieutenant Barge barged in.

"What the Hell happened?" he yelled so loudly he could wake the dead as he stomped towards Ryoko.

She stood at attention and waited.

"Ryoko! What did you do?" he asked, his face red and the vein in his forehead pulsing.

"I defended myself, sir," she answered calmly.

"You put three of my best in the infirmary, took out a door, and put some holes in the walls. There's easier ways to kill people you know, which you shouldn't do to my men and your teammates!"

"Lieutenant, quiet down or I'll throw you out," the doctor interjected, annoyed by the noise. "They'll be feeling this in the morning anyway. They don't need you to contribute."

"Well are they OK?"

"Just bruises and bruised prides. Other than that, they're fine."

"Well, Ryoko, do you have anything to say for yourself?"

"Sir, a girl has to defend her honor. Next time I'll bruise something more sensitive," she replied with a slight smirk.

Barge paused for a second, then laughed and slapped her on the back, making her almost fall over from the force. The doctor chuckled himself.

"Captain was right to put you here," he commented. "Head over to Sean to make sure your paperwork is all set. If you need any equipment, talk to me."

"Thank you, sir." Her following rumbling stomach interrupted the silence.

"Is there any food I can grab quickly?" she asked, slightly embarrassed.

"Mess hall is on the bottom floor. That should fill you up," the doctor answered.

She looked towards Barge to dismiss her.

"Dismissed," he ordered and gave her a salute by putting his right fist over his heart.

She copied the gesture, then left. She was excited. Maybe she had finally found someplace she belonged.


	3. New Toys, Same People

New Toys, Same People

Due to the fact that this town was larger than most and a relatively large trading center, Brute had been commissioned to remain within for another year after Ryoko joined. For a place with perhaps fifty thousand residents, the human race must have been severely decimated from the reign of the Nobles. From what she had gathered, the main human city was much larger, and that this trading center was quite large for the frontier.

It seemed that all she did was train for the first couple months. Every day, from dawn till dusk, she would be training physically with her new brothers, or reading up on the new technology and sciences that this new time had developed. Some of the scientific findings were so complex that she would spend hours and hours trying to figure out the new mathematics behind them and the theories that led to them. It was all so fascinating, and so confusing at the same time. For once she was truly happy she was who she was, or else all this knowledge would have been completely lost on her.

Then again, she would not be here if she was not what she was.

In the beginning, she insisted upon learning every type of weapon available in Brute from projectiles to hammers. She had no intention of mastering each of these weapons. That would take several lifetimes. Instead, she concentrated on how to best defend against them, and learned their weaknesses so she could exploit them. In this she excelled very quickly. As her combat skills improved, she could feel that she had grown in power, and was determined to reach her highest potential without tapping into her rage, for she was not sure she would be able to control it once unleashed.

Her greatest victory over this new world was that the serums she needed to control her rage were made of now-common compounds that she could obtain cheaply. Her mixing equipment, although ten thousand years outdated, was still in perfect working order, and she felt created the compounds better than the new. Besides, she knew how to fix the old one.

The head medic became good friends with her. He taught her all about field medicine and the new technologies for addressing wounds and killing pain. He was confused by her initial request for his assistance, but he taught her anyway. In no time she was helping him patch up members from whatever adventures they decided to get into.

She had become the "do it all" woman. From machines to people, she could fix anything.

Around three months since she signed up, Barge began to test her abilities himself by putting her on reconnaissance missions. He was pleased by the information she could gather for him, and he even laughed when she mentioned that she could just kill the main target before anyone knew what had happened, or the guards, or just about anyone that she was sent after. She had her wish soon enough, as most of her missions dealt with stealth, sabotage, and of course, assassinations. It was then that her squad finally had her respect, and she had theirs. They were family.

Clyde and Shiv left her alone, and mostly slept elsewhere. Eventually they officially changed their rooms, but that was because her relationship with Bower was becoming more personal and they wanted to give them space. They respected each other greatly and had become friends, despite their spat in the beginning, and the worked extremely well together professionally.

As for her and Bower, it began when he himself took on the task of teaching Ryoko all about the different types of fire arms and how to work and care for them. They would spend hours at the firing range, and eventually she became so accurate that she would even give Bower a run for his money. Afterwards, he would treat her to dinner and a couple drinks. He would even go shopping with her, although it was usually for new combat gear and not for perfumes or fine clothes. They decided to take a chance and see what would happen with their relationship, and the squad generally approved, save for the ones who wanted her for themselves. For Ryoko, it only cemented her belief that she was human, and that they could accept her, despite how different she was.

Bower himself liked everything about her. His favorite time with her was in the evening as they were getting ready for bed. He loved nothing more than to watch her comb her long hair. It was unique in its light, metallic blue hue, and it cascaded in waves down her back. Furthermore, it was her natural hair color. She always complained that she did not like it, but he loved its silky feel and the way it bounced as she walked. She still kept her origins from him, and he had learned to accept it. She had been hardened, just like the rest of them, and yet she still had somehow maintained her womanhood. Sometimes he wondered if she had been born as she was, but subtle hints from her told him that she was somehow forced to take on her augmentations, and that before she had been a different girl.

They both loved to talk about getting a cottage in a small frontier town and working the land, even raising a family. With Bower's debts to Brute, it would not be for a couple years yet, but it was a nice dream they could share together. Since Ryoko had come with nothing, her debts were already paid, but she did not mind waiting for him. She liked this lifestyle. It suited her perfectly. However, she was always wary of Ryule's words. If she needed to tap into her rage, would they still accept her? Yes, she was stronger now and did not need to use it, but if she did, what could she do?

She remained guarded, but just enough so no one would cast any suspicion. She knew eventually they would warm to her.


	4. Old Words to Odd Things

Old Words to Odd Things

Ryoko was sitting at the bar, drinking and relaxing alone before she would turn in for the night. She listened in on the conversations around. There was the usual talk of women, fights, and farming. It seemed a couple of the farmers were missing some livestock, but that was not uncommon. The creatures of the night did not always want to respect the defensive boundaries, and they would get through. She had left Bower in their room, greeting him as he came back from a mission, then leaving him be. He always needed to wind down and have some alone time after missions to collect his thoughts. She understood perfectly.

Through the din, she heard something in the alley next to the bar. There was a muffled scream, then the sound of something large throwing something else to the ground. No one else in the establishment seemed to hear anything, but she knew her ears were not lying to her. She paid her tab then left, wanting to check it out. She wanted to know what could cause that much damage so silently. She suspected a future job ahead.

She remained on the main road and peered into the alley, having no intention of walking inside without knowing what could be in there. Besides, she was only scouting. She was not paid to save these people, at least for now. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness, and as the image cleared, she actually debated on what to do. The victim was already dead as could be seen by his glassed-over eyes and his mouth open in a scream. His torso had been torn to shreds, and his attacker had its muzzle in the remains, feasting on the organs. There was blood everywhere, staining the walls and splattered in every direction. However, it still managed to make a pool under the corpse. She stayed where she was. This would be her job; she knew it.

The creature looked up from his feasting, and his yellow eyes stared at her, somehow reflecting the light in the darkness of the alley. She felt her gut tighten. If he was here, who did she know was in danger? She had to get to the barracks. There she would be safe from him. She backed away, not letting him out of her sight, then turned and walked to the barracks, not too fast to cause alarm to the crowd, but with a purpose of going somewhere.

He was following her, and she only knew this because he was letting her know. He was truly dangerous if he could follow her and be completely unnoticed by anyone else. She took all the major streets, making sure there was a large crowd of people around her. There was no point in taking the alleys to try and lose him, even if they were the shorter way.

She wished he had not come, but something inside her said that he had come for her. Why? Why could he not wait for her to repay him on natural terms? Now she would be forced to kill him, especially once the body was found, which it would be in the morning. He could have gotten her attention another way, one that did not expose him. She tried not to think of the implications. All she knew is that she needed to get into the barracks.

She finally reached the barracks, and none too soon. It seemed that they were much too far away. She turned and looked right at him. He was hidden from her eyes, but she could feel him, like he could feel her. In the moment before he vanished from her radar, he told her what he wanted, and it sent a shiver down her spine.

She entered and walked directly to her room, nodding at the occasional brother or sister she saw in the hallways, but her destination was set. When she opened the door, Bower was sitting at the table, cleaning his guns as he did every night. She took a seat across from him and picked up an empty magazine. She looked it over and played with it, letting her fingers run along the metal in an effort to calm her nerves so she could think clearly. Even if they got this job, how could she keep her promise to him without betraying the mission? Furthermore, since she knew what he wanted, was Bower in danger?

"What's wrong?" he finally asked, not looking up from his cleaning.

"I believe we're going to get a job that I'm not going to enjoy," she replied, still playing with the clip.

He put down the gun he was cleaning and looked at her, noting that she did not return his gaze. "Why do you say that?"

"Saw something outside the bar," she replied curtly, still looking at the clip.

He took the clip from her hands, forcing her to look at him. "What happened?"

Ryoko sighed before speaking. "A werewolf killed someone in the alley. He followed me here. He wanted me to spot him, and I know he wants something from me."

"Ok, he wants something from you. You know that he won't take you from us easily, especially me. There's something else that's bothering you about this."

She took a moment to think of the wording. She still refused to tell anyone about her past. "He helped me out on my way here. In return for his kindness, I told him that I would remember him and someday pay him back. With this oath in mind, how the hell am I supposed to do a mission that would deal with his death while not betraying the oath I took here?"

Bower took another gun and handed it to her to clean. Automatically she took it apart and began cleaning the individual pieces. Slowly she could feel her anxieties release themselves. She would figure it out.

"I'm sure he knows that you would be conflicted by this, and that's why he did what he did. He's smart. However, the fact that he killed someone has not changed, and he must be punished. You'll figure out a way to repay him, whether it be a scouting mission or giving him a quick death, if that's possible with a werewolf. The fact that he can already find you in a crowded city means he could find any of our scouts, so there's no way you could betray the mission unless you went to their side."

She could sense his apprehension after that statement. He was still nervous about her augmentations and her abilities, and was still unsure as to what she was.

"I have no intention of joining them," she replied and put the gun back together. "He may be able to find me, but fighting me is another thing."

He stood and walked around the table behind her, then put his arms around her shoulders in an embrace. She put her hands over his and laid her head back, listening to his breathing and feeling the rise and fall of his chest. He would be there for her, and that was all she really needed.

"We don't have the job, so don't worry," he soothed and kissed the top of her head. "Worry if we get it."


	5. We Do as we Must

We Do as We Must…

It was less than a fortnight from the discovery of the body before the town hired their local mercenary company to take care of the problem. Naturally the job went to Lieutenant Barge's squad, and he had set them all up in one of the briefing rooms. He eyed Ryoko briefly, having received reports that she had witnessed the attack. He would make sure her brothers heard her account of the events. Werewolves were something they never wished to face, although they were not the worst. However, they were right under the Nobles. Thank goodness that most of the nobles were gone now, turned to dust. More importantly, it would be the perfect time for Ry to quell the rumors that she was related to the ferocious beasts. Her augments were almost too natural, and her aura was too savage and primal when they could catch glimpses of it. He knew she was not using her full power, and that unnerved him. Full moon or not, she was just as dangerous, if not more so, than any werewolf.

"All right kids, listen up," he bellowed to settle everyone down. "Town has a werewolf problem. Naturally we've been hired to take care of it. We all know werewolves are no laughing matter. If we all make it out of this, I'll give you all a paid vacation and the finest dinner you can get."

Everyone looked grim. This may be one of their hardest jobs yet.

"We predict there's about five or six, and most of them new members. Looking at recent activity, they're just starting to mark their territory. Closest possible den is in the mountains north of here. There's two weeks before the next full moon. I want them gone before then. Questions?"

"What about Ry? She's pretty friendly with them?" one of the men asked, his eyes hard. "She saw that citizen get ripped up, and didn't do shit. She even led the wolf-man to our base. She better explain."

The squad turned and looked at her. Bower remained by her side, arm around her shoulders. He was tense, ready to jump if anyone made the wrong move. Ryoko was calm, unphased by the accusations.

"I'm not paid to babysit every citizen who decides to walk down a dark alley. No point in risking my life for nothing," she replied.

"Fair enough, but why'd he follow you?" her accuser asked.

She shrugged and smirked. "Maybe he thought I was pretty."

"Cute, cute, so how much is your loyalty?"

Bower reached for his pistol in his side holster as he met the hazel eyes of Ryoko's accuser. Bower knew the man was just jealous Ry chose to be with a sharp-shooter over a wrestling partner, but he would not have anyone talk about his woman that way.

Ryoko put a hand over Bower's before he could get the pistol from his holster, her gaze never leaving her accuser. "Roy, I'm a merc, not a saint. I do what I'm paid to do. Just because I won't wrestle with you doesn't mean you need to try and outwit me. I will always win."

"You're a fucking slut, that's what you are," Roy continued, his face turning red. "I bet you fucked that werewolf. How is it fucking someone like you? Betcha Bower can't do the same."

Ryoko stood, emanating an energy so filled with anger that everyone in the room backed up a little, blocked by the walls and their seats. It was sudden and terrifying. "Make a remark like that again, and I'll rip off your lips, force them down your throat, rip out your jaw, and then tear out your throat to shut up your screams."

"Enough!" Bower yelled and stepped between Ryoko and Roy, terrified himself but his duty to protect his squad members giving him the strength to fight the rage from Ry. "Ryoko's our spy. She's proven she's good to her word, and she made a contract with Brute. Roy, I swear you better shut your goddamn mouth before you get yourself killed. Mac has your assignments. Dismissed."

Everyone left except Ryoko, Bower, and Barge, as quickly as possible. After the last man left, Barge turned to Bower.

"Get your assignment. I need to talk to Ry."

Bower nodded and left, giving Ryoko a glance before leaving. She let him know she would be fine with a small nod.

"I need your eyes on this one, Ry," Barge said after the door closed behind Bower. "You need to tell me what you know. I trust you, but if you don't tell me I can't protect you from others who think like Roy."

"I understand, sir," she replied, thinking about how much she needed to tell him and how she was going to put it.

Barge merely stared, waiting for her to begin.

"On my way here, I met the pack leader. He directed me to this town, bearing me no malice. For his kindness, I promised to return the favor. That's really all I know."

"Why didn't he turn you?" Barge asked, confused. "Travelling alone makes you an easy target."

"I don't know. If you haven't noticed, I'm not quite like you. My augments are not the norm. I don't quite behave in the same manner. When I came here, I knew nothing, literally, and now I'm an expert in everything. Maybe he felt I was more like him than human, so he let me go."

"You are certainly different. Just tell me straight, are you one of them?"

"No," she replied and sighed. "I'm not really one of you either."

Barge put a hand on her shoulder and gave a slight squeeze. "Sure, you're different, but in your heart, you're one of us. Bower's a good man, and he cares about you. We've accepted you because you've shown you're not like those creatures. You're human, just like us."

She put a hand over his. "Thank you, sir."

Bower smiled. "Can you be my eyes?"

She nodded. "Give me a couple days and I'll get you the exact location and the numbers."

"That's my girl. How soon can you set out?"

"I'll be ready by tomorrow morning."

He gave her a gentle pat on the back, then turned and left. He hoped some day she would trust him enough to let him know how she became what she was, but when you joined a mercenary company, there was no need to say anything about the past.

Ryoko took a deep breath and followed. She could not lie to herself; she was nervous and scared.


	6. Always Have a BackUp

"I don't like it," Bower repeated, pacing back and forth. Ryoko merely sat in a chair, dressed only in a white shirt and underwear.

"And I could way I don't like that you'll have to fight them, but this is what we do," Ryoko replied, still nervous despite the fact she was prepared.

"But he _knows_ you," Bower argued back. Barge had revealed Ry's assignment over a drink, and Bower was reeling. "What if he captures you? Even worse, turns you? You could be gone tomorrow and never come back."

"It's the same when you go out on assignment," she argued back. "Look, if I don't come back in five days, you'll have my location and you can come get me."

"Five days, five? You told the lieutenant a couple. A couple is not five!"

"I'm telling you five, deal with it."

Bower paced some more, saying nothing. Ryoko understood his concern, but he was not going to stop her. He had to accept that this was going to happen.

"Do you have any idea how hard it is to kill a werewolf?" he finally continued, not stopping his pacing. "If I have to get you, I have to get through a pack of them. If Brute decides to leave you, I'll have to go alone."

She furrowed a brow in question. According to her readings, werewolves were just about the same as the legends in her time, if not a bit stronger and faster. However, with augmentations it should have been a more even match, especially with silver.

"What's that look for?" Bower snapped, annoyed that she could not understand the situation.

"How do _you_ kill a werewolf?" she asked, seeing if they had found a better way. At this point she did not care if he flipped out.

Bower stared in shock. How the Hell had she managed to live so long in the frontier without knowing half the necessary information required to survive. "You restrain, then dismember them. Werewolf hunters have a special whip that holds them down."

"What about silver?"

"What?"

"Silver. I know it exists. It's shiny, somewhat soft, usually in jewel—"

"I know what silver is," Bower interrupted, insulted by her condescending remark. "What the fuck will silver do?

"It hurts them. If you melt it into bullets, and shoot them, they can't regenerate from it. Silver's toxic to them," she answered, confused. Did they really not know about silver?

Bower's eyes zoned out, unable to really concentrate. Silver hurt them? Ryoko was very confident in her answer, but it was an expensive theory.

"Hang on a sec," she ordered as soon as she saw his eyes lose focus. She had seen this before when she talked about other ways to kill vampires. No one knew about garlic, or crosses, or religion. The nobles must have had some crazy technology to get people to forget those weaknesses quickly so that they could take over. Perhaps it had been something they were working on for a long time, and when they rose to power they could just make the seeds sprout.

She grabbed a piece of paper and pen and wrote down the information about the silver, as well as instructions on where to place the note after he had read it. She signed another paper that authorized a fairly large sum of money to be given to him from her account to purchase silver if need be. Once done, she put the notes in the first place he would go should something happen to her.

When Bower finally came to, Ryoko had her arms around his neck and kissed his jaw. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her, taking in her scent and feeling her calm energy, although he could sense her slight nervousness. He could not bear to lose her. She had gotten him out of the rut he had put himself in. Most of his debt was paid off, and they were even starting to plan on their lives together outside of Brute. She was his rock. He needed her.

"This is what we do," she gently reminded, enjoying the feel of his skin on her cheek as she rested her head on his shoulder.

Bower gave her a squeeze and grunted. He did not want to think about it any more.

They woke early in the morning, before the sunrise. Bower stayed in bed as he watched Ryoko put on her gear. She slipped the dark gray, synthetic, form-fitting body suit over her slim, muscular body. The suit has numerous small pouches in many easy-to-reach places. She slipped in her arms and left her chest open, the suit covering her breasts, but the zipper was open to her navel. Her boots went on next after her wool socks, lacing up to a couple inches below her knee. Although steel toed, they were flexible and built for silent movements. They each held a sheath for a combat knife on the outside. She still used her old KA-BAR from her old military days, and had another one made for this suit. The pockets were pre-packed the night before. She braided her blue hair tightly to her head in a French braid, starting from the top and trailing down her back. Finally, with a teasing smile towards Bower, she zipped up her suit.

No matter how many times he had seen her wear the suit, she always took his breath away. Despite the fact that only her face and hands were uncovered, the suit let him see every contour of her body. She was sexy, beautiful, and terrifying all at once.

"You gonna grab breakfast with me or just stay in bed and drool?" she asked, still grinning mischievously.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming," he replied and playfully lumbered out of bed, throwing on some casual clothes.

She wished she could rip those clothes off and take him, but there would be no games this morning. However, there was no harm in teasing.

They met Barge outside after breakfast. Her hover bike was already outside, waiting for her. Barge was stoic, and just as nervous about this mission.

Ryoko put on her matching, dark gray gloves, then put on her goggles and let them rest on her forehead and walked towards the bike.

"You ready?" Barge asked.

"Ready. Be back in a couple days," she replied and mounted her bike, putting her goggles over her eyes.

She blew Bower a kiss, then turned on the bike, letting it hover for a moment above the ground before speeding off. Her steed was silent; the only evidence it was around was the swaying of the grass as she sped across the field.

Barge put a comforting hand on Bower's shoulder as her spec vanished over the horizon. "She'll be fine."

Bower nodded, but he could not shake the feeling something would happen. Granted, he always worried when she went out on a mission, but this feeling was more pressing.

He was scared.

Ryoko was enjoying the ride. It helped her relax and let her leave her issues behind and cleared her mind, letting her concentrate on what she needed to do. She reached the foot of the mountain by the late afternoon, and she slowed the bike in order to navigate between the trees, finding the paths she would need. The trail to the cave was easy to find, both visually and by smell.

The sun was beginning to set by the time she reached the cave. The bike was hidden off the trail, but close by for easy access. She immersed herself in a nearby stream, trying to wash off any scents that would give her away. She stuffed her pockets with leaves, grasses, and flowers from the forest to help mask her smell further. She found a good outcrop downwind that gave her a solid view of the cave entrance, and she hunkered low and waited.

She remained alert all night, and made note of her observations. Three more inexperienced pack members ventured outside, but they were back well before dawn. That was the extent of that evening's activity. The day was even more lacking in activity. She did not sleep, and submerged herself in the stream periodically to help erase scents and she refreshed the plants in her pockets.

Right before sunset, she saw activity again. The three "youngest", as she dubbed them, exited the cave, followed by three others. These looked more hardened, and were probably more senior members of the pack. They messed around at the mouth of the cave, acting more like wolves than human. They were transformed, which showed the power of the one who turned them. Even the youngest were in their wolf form. As soon as the moon revealed herself, they took off to hunt. They did not notice her. However, Ryule was nowhere to be seen.

"You could've just asked to see how large my pack is," Ryule commented from behind her.

Ryoko turned and crouched, her golden eyes staring into his. He was partially transformed, with elongated appendages and brown fur covering his body. His face was an odd hybrid of canine and human features.

"You did well in hiding your scent, but you forgot something," he continued, showing his growing canines through his smile.

Ryoko said nothing, but activated her locator beacon, sensing that something would be happening very soon.

"You're aura," he announced and fully transformed. "It's unique. Once I felt it, I could track you no matter where you are. I will have you, Ryoko, and I'll take you now!"

She sprang and flipped backwards off the overhang as he lunged for her, barely eluding his grasp. A millisecond later and he would have caught her. She hit the ground and rolled, allowing her to gain her feet and sprinted. She remotely turned on her bike as she raced to it through the brush. He was gaining on her.

Vaulting onto the seat, she hit the throttle and sped through the trees, not even having time to put on her goggles. Because she had to dodge the trees and see through the wind biting at her eyes, she had to slow down, giving Ryule the opportunity to keep up. She could not shake him, but her concentration was dodging the obstacles before her as she raced at nearly one hundred miles per hour.

As soon as she hit the plains she went full throttle, her hair whipping in her face and the wind battering her. She had to warn Brute. Ryule was right behind her, and he would grab her tonight, of this she was certain. She managed to gain a half hour on him, but she never slowed down. She eventually reached the base a couple hours before sunrise.

Bower was waiting at the entrance, worried. He had been woken as soon as her beacon went off, and he had been tracking her ever since. She was moving fast, meaning she was in trouble. However, even he was nearly shaking when he saw her condition.

She managed to stop the bike in time, but she nearly fell off as she dismounted. Bower caught her and quickly carried her inside and up to their room. She needed rest, having overstrained herself by keeping track of Ryule's location and not crashing. Her hair was out of the braid, and her eyes were red from the wind. It was a miracle she had made it back.

She could not black out though, and she fought the shadows in her vision. She had to tell them.

"He's coming," she said, her voice strained.

"He won't get you," Bower replied, but her voice was definitely unnerving.

"The coordinates—"

"We got them. You need to rest, we'll keep you safe."

"Seven, three new, three senior," she continued, still fighting the blackness. Ryle was closer. She had only minutes left.

"We'll be ready once you recover," Bower replied. He saw Barge down the hall by their room door, waiting.

"How is she?" he asked and held the door open.

"Exhausted. She needs rest."

"He's coming," she reminded, her voice a whisper. She could sense him in the base. Her vision was gone. She could only hear Bower and Barge talking and breathing, and she could feel Bower's arms around her. They needed to listen.

"Ry, you're safe here," Barge tried to comfort her, but he was afraid too. What could have made her like this?

Bower put her on the bed. "I want a guard for the next couple nights. There's no way he could've kept up at her speed."

"I agree," Barge replied, letting Bower lead him to the door.

"He's here," Ryoko managed to say before she blacked out.

Bower and Barge watched helplessly as a giant, brown, humanoid wolf crashed through the wall, grabbed Ryoko, grinned victoriously, then jumped out the hole it came from with Ry over his shoulder and bounded off into the night, his howl filling the air.

"Ryoko!" Bower screamed and grabbed his sniper riffle.

He cursed the wolf's speed, but he aimed and took a shot. He watched as the beast dodged at the last moment and cursed some more.

"We have to get her!" he screamed at Barge.

"We will, but not tonight. We need to regroup and plan," he replied relatively calmly. He had to play this right, for Ryoko, Bower, and the squad's safety.

"He'll turn her! She can't stop him right now. Let me go!"

Barge kept his steel grip on Bower's shoulder. "She's safe for now, trust me on this. It wants something specific from her. She has her beacon on, and we can find her. We'll leave tomorrow. Get ready."

"I'll kill that son of a bitch," Bower growled, and consented. He understood, but he was still angry.

Barge let go and nodded, leaving Bower to prepare. He had Shiv watch him, just in case Bower tried to run off alone. He hoped Ryoko would be fine.


	7. So What?

Ryoko woke in the evening atop a bed of furs on the floor of a cave. She was thankful she was still clothed. Ryule had taken her to his lair; the smell of wolves filling her senses. She looked around for her captor, knowing he would not remain far from his new prize. He was nowhere in sight, but she knew he could show himself at his own convenience and discretion. It was a common tactic between kidnapers and the kidnapee. Brute would come for her by tomorrow at the latest, that she was certain. They would not risk losing her to werewolves. With nothing else to do, she waited, held in captivity by her word to Ryule before. Brute had the information they needed, especially if Bower managed to share information in the note she left him.

Ryule was kind enough to leave her some cooked rabbits warming over the remaining embers of the fire. Ryoko scarfed them down, picking clean the bones. Protein was protein, and she knew Ryule would not poison her. Besides, she would be able to smell any poison, and fresh meat is always preferable to field rations. She washed it down with fresh water from a water skin, also provided. She felt better, feeling her energy return slowly.

"That was quite impressive," Ryule commented from the entrance to her chamber.

"You cook rabbit rather well, considering your limited ingredients," Ryoko complimented back, settling back against the wall of the cavern amidst her bedding.

Ryule laughed. "Glad you liked them, but I was referring to our merry little chase. You're quite the curious creature, my dear."

Ryoko nodded politely. He was giving her endearing names, which could not mean well in the long run, perhaps. She had to play the next few steps cautiously, trying to prolong their interaction so he had less time planning.

He smiled, his canines showing. "May I ask you some questions, my friend?"

Ryoko shrugged. "Shoot."

Ryule tilted his head sideways, giving her a puzzled look. Why would he shoot her? He had no gun.

"Old slang term. Means go ahead," she defined, forgetting that with new times came new slang.

Ryule gave a curious huff, and continued. "So, how is human life?"

"Good. I'm happy."

"A good place to be, with mercenaries. No questions. They accept you?"

"Generally. We all just want to get paid."

"How is your human mate?"

"He's fine. Probably worried and angry." Ryoko was beginning to become suspicious of this line of questions. What was he getting after?

"Curious as to why you're not with child yet. I can't smell anything that would prevent you from conceiving. Having trouble there?"

Ryoko said nothing, realizing what he was getting after. She was not trying to prevent pregnancy, not that Bower knew that.

"Perhaps human DNA is simply not compatible with yours," Ryule commented, starting at her intently.

"We can't have any children until his debts are repaid," Ryoko retorted back, but it was no use. The thought had been planted and there was no turning back. She had tried not to think of it before, but she had no choice now.

Ryule chuckled, pleased with himself. He knew he had won. "In time he'll realize you can't give him what he wants. What then?"

"We could adopt. There's plenty of children who need homes," Ryoko spat back. She was getting angry. He had no right.

"This is the frontier. Men want to pass their seed, not take on someone else's potential failure. Humans are like animals, only caring for their own genes," Ryule explained, undaunted and serious. He despised humans, yet could not stay away from them, his curiosity defying his thoughts. Humans were merely food and for breeding, nothing more, yet he was fascinated by them.

"You're wrong. They survive because they care for reach other. With out this, they would have never remained for so long after the nobility!"

"They, they, they! You can't even call yourself one!"

Ryoko shuddered and grabbed her head, staring at the ground and rocking back and forth. She had to calm down; prevent herself from losing control. Was he right? Was it a lost cause? What had she become? Her strength, speed, intelligence was well beyond her augmented squad-mates, and she was not even pushing herself to the limit. He was right; she did not feel human. She felt more like him—a supernatural freak trying to be human, yet unable to. She wanted to scream and cry, denying that she was still human, but she had to calm down. The rage was threatening to break, and now was not the time.

Ryule sensed her rising anger and stopped, suddenly fearing for his life. She had so much raw emotion; so much power. He was amazed and terrified that such a thin, delicate web was holding it in. He knew she would outlast him in many ways, and he pitied her. As he thought, he remembered something his father had shared with him years and years ago. Indeed, she would outlast him, but would she outlast _him_?


	8. Silver

Bower found Ryoko's note and followed its directions to the letter, including the instructions on where to put it lest he forget the information. As soon as the stores opened, he was inside buying as much silver as he could with the money Ryoko left for him. By the time he was done, it seemed he had bought nearly half the silver supply in the town. It was not cheap. He was grateful Ryoko had accumulated so much money.

He was beginning to melt down his stash when Barge came in, booming.

"What the Hell, Bower?" he yelled, disturbed by Shiv's report. "Have you gone mental? You buy all this nice shit, then melt it down?"

"Silver bullets," Bower answered, staying calm as best he could, not stopping from working. "Ry said silver hurts them. I think you should tell the rest of the men to start making their own."

"Silver? Why fucking silver, and when the fuck did she tell you that?"

Bower patted a familiar pocket. "She left a note before she left on the mission, in case she was captured. Said to make silver bullets, and gave me the money to buy a shit-load of silver. I can't tell you why it hurts them, but I have to trust her on this."

Barge growled. "She better be right, or she's paying us back for all that shit."

He stormed out, barking orders to the men. If Ryoko had said silver would work, he would have to trust her too. Werewolves were no joke, and if this was right, she just leveled the playing field for them. She seemed to know a lot more than they did, and she had yet to let him, or Brute, down.

By late afternoon, the blacksmiths and gunsmiths were working double overtime making silver-edged weapons and silver bullets. Bower finished all his and reloaded his magazines, putting every third or fifth bullet as a silver one, depending on the gun. He made sure he had enough spares if he needed more. He rummaged through Ryoko's little chest of treasures and pulled out a silver dagger. It was more for decoration, being overly ornate, but its edge was still sharp enough to cut flesh.

The squad set out the next morning with the rising sun. Bower had tried to sleep the night before, but he was too wired. He hoped Ry was all right, and was determined to save her. He would not let himself die until he killed that son of a bitch that took her, and made sure she was safe. He had to resist the urge to charge ahead. He knew alone he was no match for seven werewolves, so he tried to remain patient, the vision of him killing their leader keeping him in check.

Barge had explained the plan the night before. They would reach the cave before sunset at the current pace. Although there would not be a full moon, the mission was dangerous. Twenty-five to seven seemed like biased odds, but when the seven are werewolves, it was just about even, augmentations included. They were grouped in threes, one for each wolf, leaving Barge and Bower to move around as needed. Once the wolves were distracted, Bower would go in and get Ryoko. It seemed like a crazy, foolish plan, but Bower was the fastest draw and the best marksman in the frontier. He would be fine on his own.

They reached the cave in time, but not fast enough for Bower. The sun was sinking below the horizon, and the moon was coming up. The squad rested up and prepared. In every battle, waiting was the worst. They were excited, despite the danger. This was their life. This is what they chose. With each battle, they felt alive. They were not in the special squad just because they were good. They were there because they lived to fight, and were damn good at it.

The moon was high in the sky, and the wolves howled their battle cry, and chorus of six voices. The seventh was probably near Ryoko. Without further warning, they sprinted from the mouth of the cave, the squad racing forward from their positions to meet them. There was no room for stealth in this battle. Time was of the essence.

The silver worked. The wounds on the werewolves would not heal instantly, and the pure metal seemed to cauterize their wounds before they could close, keeping the inner flesh exposed. The wolves were outmatched with the augmented humans and silver, but they managed to take down a few squad members before they went down. It was brutal and bloody, but the humans emerged victorious. The only wolf left was the leader, and Bower was already in the cave searching.

He hoped she was safe.


	9. Release is Not Always Good

Ryule came back to visit Ryoko before sunset and sat with her, his eyes displaying a mix of emotions—curiosity, sadness, excitement, remorse. She seemed withdrawn, probably still thinking about their earlier conversation. Thankfully her rage was gone, but the entire episode had gotten him thinking too. He was not worthy of her. There was no way he could match her, but there was one she could, and he had decided to plant the thought of _him_ in her mind instead.

"They're here to get you," he mentioned, crossing his legs and staring at the fire with his brown eyes. "I guess they really do care for you."

Ryoko said nothing, her eyes staring at the flickering flames. How long would her mercenary friends accept her?

"You understand I must defend myself and my own?" Ryule asked, his eyes looking back to her.

She merely nodded.

"Will you interfere?"

She shook her head. "I'll do my best, but if I'm unleashed, I won't be able to control myself. I hope you understand."

Ryule gave a huff in understanding and returned his gaze to the fire. Despite his survival instincts, he felt his time was near. Perhaps it would be better to have her unleash her rage, to let her squad see what she really was. Perhaps then she would have a better chance of meeting _him_. Something told him that the meeting had to take place.

Ryoko looked at him, wondering what he was thinking. His previous desire to have her as his mate had somehow vanished.

"You've met something like me, haven't you?" she asked, feeling that she finally knew what he was thinking about.

Ryule nodded. "I haven't met him personally, but I believe he's much like you. I hope you meet him someday."

Ryoko was shocked. Not only was Ryule smiling, but also seemed at peace with giving her this information, and this hope.

"My father met him once," he continued. "He shared the memory of his aura with me. It was dark, much like yours, but his was strongly contained. Yours is chaotic, held together by a thin web, yet I can sense the harmony between your energies. It's so balanced. Yes, you will meet him, of this I'm certain. It's fate. There's no way that you could not."

Ryoko could only stare. Ryule was so peaceful, happy. Was this true? Was this creature the yin to her yang? Who was he?

The train of thought was broken when the howls reverberated within the cavern. It had begun.

"Ryoko, consider your debt repaid. I hope you never for get me."

She could only stare as Ryule bounded off, changing into his wolf form as he moved. She tried to track him, but lost him amidst the chaos, but she was not afraid. Bower was here to save her. Supernatural or not, he loved her. This mystery creature could wait.

Minutes passed before Bower found her, but they seemed like an eternity. She could smell him as he came closer, despite the scent of blood, sweat, and wolves. Soon she would be safe.

Relief filled his face when he saw her, unchanged. "Ryoko!"

"Bower! Behind you!" she screamed, sensing Ryule just in time.

Bower turned and fired, but he missed by a centimeter and barely managed to block the swipe at his face that followed. He fell to the ground, but rolled away into a crouch and fired to his left, missing again, but the margin was smaller. He dodged another swipe to his head, barely staying ahead of Ryule.

Ryoko remained on the bed of furs, confused. What was she supposed to do? Ryule said the debt was repaid, but she had done nothing. She wanted to save Bower. She needed him. What the hell was Ryule doing? Did he want her to lose control? She grabbed her head, wrestling with the rage, her eyes still following the fight. She whispered a forgotten prayer, chanting God's name over and over, even though He seemed to be forgotten in this world.

Bower fired again, hitting Ryule in the arm with a silver bullet. Steam hissed from the wound and the werewolf howled in pain. Ryule swiped at Bower again and the hit landed, his opponent becoming tired and his reflexes slowing. His claws raked against his arm, leaving bloody gashes as Bower tried to block. Bower tried to recover, but he was getting too tired. Before he could dodge again, Ryule latched onto Bower's unwounded arm, his teeth breaking the skin and drawing blood. Bower yelled his own battle cry and pulled out Ryoko's silver dagger from his belt with his gashed arm and plunged it into Ryule's neck. The werewolf let go, howling in pain. Bower let go of the dagger, and steam hissed as Ryule pulled it from his neck. Bower had not hit a vital artery.

"Shit," Bower whispered. He was losing blood from his gashed arm, and knew he only had enough strength for one last attack. He pulled out his extra gun with silver-only bullets and took aim at Ryule's head, which was being covered by his arms. There were only a few bullets in the revolver, so each shot had to count, so he waited for the wolf to charge again.

A roar filled with rage shook the cavern, breaking Bower and Ryule both from their final thoughts. Bower blinked once, and just stared.

Ryule was fighting a blue-haired demon. The werewolf blocked and dodged as best he could, but he was hindered by he wounds, and the damn thing was just too fast. Each strike held more and more fury, and more and more power. The energy behind each strike was ruthless and filled with rage. Bower felt sorry for the wolf. He had no chance against that thing. Bower looked to where Ryoko was, but she was gone. He looked back at the thing attacking Ryule. He blinked again in disbelief.

Ryoko seemed crazed. Her blue hair was a wild mane, and her yellow eyes glowed with power. Her mouth was in a perpetual snarl, her canines elongated. Bower thought she had been turned, but instinct told him it was not true. This was her real power, and he was terrified. There was no way she was using her full power around Brute, not with what he could see here.

It ended quickly. Ryule was left open after defending a blow, and Ryoko saw it instantly and thrust her hand through his chest, ripping out his heart. She took no hesitation in crushing the still-beating organ in her hand, blood flying everywhere, splashing all over her. She watched as he fell, waiting to see if he would do anything else to enrage her.

"Yes, _he_ is the one," Ryule whispered, and died.

Ryoko roared and picked up Ryule's body and threw it against the wall opposite the cavern. It made a sickening crunch and squishing sound. Who? Who was _he_? How dare he die before telling her! She started bounding towards the body to express her rage further when she heard Bower's voice, and she stopped, turning her gaze to him.

"Babe, come back," he said, as calmly as he could. The bleeding had stopped. "I'm safe now, it's all right. Come here. Let me touch you." He could not show fear, not now. Ryoko was unstable.

Ryoko slowly stalked towards him. Was he really safe? Why did he look so weak? She could smell his blood, and something else. She would kill whoever hurt him, but wait, she already had. That should have sated her, but it did not. She was still angry. Why? Why was she so angry?

"Ry, I need you to come back," he reminded, but with more strength. He knew she was fighting to regain control. "He's gone. I need you to fix me up now."

She kept walking towards him, fighting with each step. Why? Why was she still angry?

She knelt before him when she reached him, her eyes still glowing but she had more control. She turned her head towards the cavern opening, knowing that the squad had been there when she killed Ryule.

"Bring a medic to fix him up," she ordered, her voice hard.

They were too scared to move, their human instincts taking over.

"Now!" she roared and bared her fangs.

The medic came forward quickly, the same bear who taught her about medicine. He remained calm and stitched up the gashes on Bower's arm, but he merely cleaned and bandaged the arm that was bitten. He looked at Bower, and silent understanding went between them. Barge came up and received the same message from Bower, and his body sagged. He had seen Ryoko fight. He had seen it before, and although terrifying, she was still true to Brute. He had to keep the remaining men calm and together.

"What?" Ryoko asked, some of her rage disappearing as concern forced its way through.

The three men remained silent, heads down.

"I killed the one who bit him," she told them, her voice showing some desperation. Her eyes were dimming.

"That only works for vampires, Ry," Barge answered, his voice quiet. He stared at her directly, wishing it could work the same way.

Ryoko shook her head. "No, you could be wrong. The silver worked. Maybe I'm right."

"What if you're not?" Barge responded, noting Bower holding Ry's hand. This would be painful, for all of them.

"I'll—I'll watch him," she replied. "If he turns, I'll kill him."

Bower pulled her in close, but not before they saw tears start running down her cheeks. They would not argue with her. She would figure it out later. Bower was accepting his fate, his heart sinking.

"OK," Barge answered, and signaled the squad to move out. They were done here once they burned the bodies. There would be no celebration tonight.

Ryoko looked up at Bower once the squad left. "It'll be OK. I'll take care of you. Everything'll be normal again."

Bower forced a smile and stroked her cheek, wiping away the tears. "Yeah, just ten days."

He wondered if she would be able to handle the inevitability. More importantly, would she be able to control her rage? Every part of him wanted to just shoot himself now, but he had to wait. Ten days before the end. He could give her that.

"Told you I'd come get you," he reminded, still smiling at her.

"Yeah, almost didn't need me. Guess you're just as strong as me."

He laughed and kissed her forehead, then wiped away some of the blood on her face. Ah, his terrible, terrible love. He hoped she would be able to handle all this.


	10. Accept the Inevitable

The squad returned the following evening. Bower's wounds were nearly healed. Ryoko never left his side. The rest of the squad stayed distant, some out of fear, others out of respect. Barge had managed to convince most of the squad that Ryoko was still safe, and he was believed much easier than he anticipated. She had proven herself to warrant that type of trust. Bower, on the other hand, was another issue. He even wondered himself if Ryoko would be able to make good on her promise.

Four days before the full moon, Ryoko began setting up Bower's containment mechanism. She had not slept the two nights before. Bower would stand at the window and stare at the waxing moon, completely transfixed. Nothing she did warranted a reaction from him. The night after they returned, his body burned with fever, debilitating him. It lasted for two days, but his body was still warmer than normal. She finally allowed herself to cry once his fever calmed down, accepting that he would turn.

She had Clyde, Barge, or Shiv watch Bower at night while she set up the restraints. It was a relatively large room, with only one window. The walls had been replaced with steel and equipped with reinforced hooks for chaining up prisoners. It was their own personal discipline/interrogation room, depending on the situation. She took thick, heavy chains with shackles at the ends and attached them to the hooks. A chair remained in the middle among the 500 pounds of chains. The most time-consuming part of her design was the pulley system to keep the chains tight as Bower went through the change, but not so rigid that they could be broken. She had to make sure they reacted to his physical change fast enough. It was finished the night before the full moon.

The last day was both the longest and the shortest. Ryoko and Bower spent most of the morning in each other's arms. There was nothing they could say. They merely just lay there, taking in the last physical moments they would have together. Eventually they became hungry, and decided to have a last meal together in the mess hall. They walked down hand-in-hand, no words between them.

No one bothered them. Onlookers saw the dark circles around their bloodshot eyes and their haggard, lifeless posture. They were disheveled. Bower's jaw was rough with stubble, his hair not even combed. Ryoko, even with her hair pulled back, looked just as unkept. The air of defeat and sorrow hung heavily around them. Their mercenary brothers and sisters wanted to say something, but there was nothing to say. Such was life on the frontier.

They returned to their room and just sat on the bed, holding hands and looking out the window. There were no tears, only silence. What was there to say? What was there to feel?

An hour before sunset, they finally stood and made their way to the holding cell. Bower waited at the door, watching Ryoko grab the pistol he gave her. She checked the magazine. The bullets were filled with silver nitrate and made to break inside the body, ensuring that the poison would enter his blood stream, ensuring his death no matter where she hit him. His eyes, even though seemingly lifeless, still held the love he had for her. He wished he had more time. They joined hands again and walked through the halls, ignoring the looks and everyone else.

Ryoko closed the steel door behind them and looked at the chair. Bower shook his head. He would stand and face his death like a man. He was not a beast yet. She merely moved the chair in front of the door, a few feet away so that if her restraint system failed and he attacked, she would have enough room to maneuver. Bower knelt in the middle, patiently letting Ryoko bind him.

She shackled his wrists and ankles, keeping them out so that she would have a better shot at his heart. She wrapped a chain around his neck, then down his back and around his torso. She made sure his chest remained exposed. She tested the system, merely for show and for something to do, gave him a last kiss, then turned and sat in the chair, facing Bower. Her golden eyes blank, merely staring into space. The only thing left now was to wait.

"You know," Bower began his voice quiet. A few minutes had passed. "I never thought I'd regret dying."

Ryoko inhaled to comment, but Bower interrupted her.

"Don't say anything, Ry. My final thoughts are for you. I didn't give a shit before you came along. I was a merc. I figured I'd die young, so I lived however I wanted to. When you came, I found there was something I wanted. Whatever it was you showed me, I can't explain. You had hope, yet you were hard. You have dreams, beautiful dreams, and you had no issues going after them. I cleaned up my act, hoping to be a part of those dreams."

Ryoko lowered her head, not wanting to cry. It was not fair.

"Ry, I love you. I'm sorry it took so long for me to say it. When it's time, please kill me as a monster. I really wish it could be different."

The moon was rising, the light falling on Bower before Ryoko could answer. His eyes were glued to it's bright light. His mouth opened into a snarl and his canines elongated. He stood up and his arms and legs lengthened and changed, taking on a more wolf-like form. His fingers elongated and his nails became claws. His body widened and his neck thickened. His face began elongating, a snout forming. His blue eyes became more and more bestial. The restraint system held.

Ryoko watched, patient. This time it was not as painful to wait. It was only after his body was covered in golden hair and he had fully transformed that she stood and took aim. Bower turned his gaze to her, his blue eyes beautiful. He gave a howl to the moon. As he returned his eyes to her, he snarled and tried to attack. The restraints held, and he roared in frustration. Bower was gone.

Ryoko fired, an easy shot with his exposed chest and restrained body. Her face was devoid of any emotion. He died instantly, transforming back into his human form. The only sound accompanying the ringing of the shot was the rattle of chains as they loosened to his physical form. She lowered her weapon, merely staring.

The door opened and the medic came in, followed by Barge. Ryoko gave no indication she noticed them come in. The medic went straight to Bower, confirming his death. He let the corpse out of the restraints and covered the body. Barge remained by Ryoko, trying to lend support.

"He was a good man," Barge commented, trying to ease the pain.

Ryoko needed to run. She felt she was suffocating. She ignored his words and walked out of the room, away from all of them. It hurt. It hurt so much.

Barge ran after her. He could not lose her too. "Ry! Where are you going?"

She walked faster, needing to get away. She needed to be alone. She had to think. She had to release the rage inside her somewhere safe. She knew Barge had only the best intentions in mind, but they were not helping. She would deal with him later. Right now, she had to run.

"Damn it, Ry! You can't go out into the night! You could get killed! Don't let me lose you too!"

She opened the door to the outside, to freedom, and turned to Barge, her eyes glowing. Barge stopped, terrified she would unleash herself on him again.

"I'll. Come. Back."

Barge made no move to stop her as she stepped outside and ran. He understood. He closed the door and began preparing the necessary materials for the funeral.


	11. You Can't Run Forever

She ran for hours, trying to outrun the pain and grief. She ran and ran until she reached a river, to the east of the base. There were old ruins by the river. She jumped up and climbed up to the highest point and roared at the sky, her voice carrying her rage and despair over the open fields. She roared again at the moon, taking out her anger on the object that caused her pain.

She remained standing, not wanting to move, her eyes staring at the sky. She felt so empty. Even the pain clawing at her heart was not enough to make her care about her situation. What was the point? Would she lose everyone she cared for? Was there any point in going through the motions?

Could she even die?

She finally sat down, crossing her legs, and pulled out the dog tags she wore around her neck from under her shirt. She let her fingers trace over the metal and the familiar bumps and ridges that displayed the name on them. Somehow, it brought her peace.

She still remembered everything about him, as if she had seen him only yesterday. Gray eyes, brown, hair, chiseled, strong, his smell, and his touch with his calloused hands; all she would never forget. Unfortunately, she could not hide from that pain for 10,000 years. She had to learn to deal with her pain this time.

"What would you say to me if you knew?" she asked the tags, the moonlight gently caressing her.

There was no response, not that she expected one. She knew that this was the time for her to confront the event that led her here, and time to grieve over her loss.

"What do you think I should do? Everything is so different now. This place is nothing like before, and I'm not either. I don't know what I am. I feel like some dark super-hero, like in the comic books."

A tear slithered down her cheek. She missed him, God she missed him so much.. She wished she could get him back, but it was impossible. That fault was her own.

She looked up and stared at the moon. Despite her anger towards it, she knew that it was not really her fault. The moon was still beautiful, shining light over a dark landscape. It was different now. The whole situation was different. Now she had the time to discover the full extent of her abilities, and perhaps figure out what she was herself. She would hurt for a little, but that was not a concern. Such was life, no matter what manner of creature existed.

She did not return until the afternoon the next day, just in time for Bower's funeral. She had known long ago she would take over his accounts, and instructed that his debts be paid in full. She had the money. No one bothered her. She remained in the back, content to watch. The pain was too fresh to be a part of the ceremony. They burned his body, and as the flames ignited, she knew that part of her life was gone.

She returned to their room in the evening. His scent was everywhere. She missed him. She looked at the bed, but could not bring herself to sleep in it. Instead, she took off the covers and pillows and arranged them on the floor. She took off everything save her shirt and underwear, and curled up in the blankets, Bower's scent filling her nostrils. The company would be moving on in a couple days. She would take those last two nights as her last nights with Bower, then put his memory into the past. The frontier left no time to grieve if one was to survive.

Barge tried to be quiet when he opened the door to check on her, but he was not the stealthiest of men. He peered his head in through the opening and met Ryoko's gaze. Her eyes were back to normal.

"Hey," he whispered, his eyes sad.

"Hey," she replied, calm and accepting.

"How're you holding up?"

"I'll survive."

He fidgeted slightly. "We can get you another room if you want."

Ryoko shook her head. "I'll be all right."

He shifted again, wanting to say more but unsure what to say. He was glad she had accepted Bower's death, but he was unsure he would be able to stop blaming himself. Ryoko sensed his inner turmoil and sat up, patting a spot next to her. She understood.

He entered and shut the door behind him and sat down next to her. They sat a while in silence. Ryoko would not rush him. Barge hurt as much as she did.

"I wish we could bring him back," he finally said, his eyes on the floor.

Ryoko merely nodded.

"It was my fault. I should've kept you here, kept you safe."

"No, you shouldn't have," Ryoko disagreed gently. "Ryule knew where I was. Even in here, he grabbed me. You made the best decision you could under the circumstances."

Barge inhaled deeply and exhaled, trying to calm his emotions. Ry was a good person, albeit dangerous. If she could forgive him, he hoped he could forgive himself. He still needed to understand what happened in that cave.

"What exactly happened in that cave?" he finally asked, able to look her in the eye again.

Ryoko looked off to the left, a habit she had since she could remember and chewed her lower lip. She had to give him an answer, but she had to be careful with it.

Barge waited.

"I just got, very angry," she finally answered.

"So we saw, but has that happened before? I've never seen you like that."

Ryoko sighed. "It's happened before." He wanted to keep his men safe. She understood that. She would do the same in his position.

"Do you always feel like that?"

Ryoko nodded. "I always feel the rage, but I control it unless it's been triggered, like what happened."

Barge's brows came together as he began thinking. There were ancient stories of people that could go into crazed rampages. Was she an upgraded version?

"Have you always been like that?" he asked.

Ryoko shrugged. "Maybe. The augments are new."

"You use them pretty naturally. We can barely tell you have them."

"Experiment."

"I guess it worked?"

Ryoko looked down. Yeah, it had worked.

He became concerned by her lack of answer. "Is anyone after you?"

"No."

Barge was taken aback by her short answer. Whatever happened must have been painful.

"It's in the past," she reminded. "I'm still me, the same person you know. You've seen what I can do and are letting me stay."

"True, I'm sorry," he replied, understanding. He trusted her.

He patted Ryoko on the shoulder. "Get some sleep, you need it."

"I'll try," she replied and gave him a small smile.

He gave her a nod, and got up and left, closing the door behind him. Ryoko wrapped herself up in the blankets. She inhaled Bower's scent, tears falling from her eyes. She fell asleep with them, but she knew they would eventually stop.


	12. Familiarity

He steered his horse towards the flickering light of the campfire. Normally he would not be troubled to investigate someone else's recklessness, but something was calling to him. It was not like a noble's call. This call was to his soul. It was not begging or pleading, but merely asking if he wanted to come. He had never felt anything like it. Whatever it was seemed familiar. His parasitic friend made no comment, reinforcing the idea that he needed to investigate whatever was by that campfire. His soul needed what he would find there.

He had to pause a moment outside of the light's range to compose himself. He was nervous and anxious. His cool, clam demeanor was nonexistent. His pulse was quicker, his breathing more shallow. The more he tried to calm himself, the worse he became. Whoever, for he knew there was a person by that fire, was so important that he felt he needed to impress. For once there was no prior plan of attack. He dismounted, and led his horse into the clearing.

It took all his power to not stop moving when her yellow, slitted eyes fell upon him as he revealed himself to her. She was beautiful. Her skin slightly tanned, her wavy, blue hair tied back in a high tail, her toned arms showing, her demeanor relaxed—he was stricken. He continued towards the fire, his horse following without any nervousness or stress. Somehow, without any exchange of words, he was invited into her camp. As soon as he was within the camp range, she rose and collected a bundle of rods. Without ignoring him completely, but also without keeping a close eye on him, she moved around the camp and stuck the rods into the ground. It was a portable barrier against the smaller creatures of the night. She activated it and returned to the fire, her movements graceful like a cat. D unsaddled his horse and gave it a bag of feed. The beast was relaxed and content.

She sat by her pack and pulled out some a piece of dried meat and ate it. She finally had the courage herself to take in her new guest.

He was beautiful. Not just the beautiful that some people have, but a beauty that could never be properly captured in any painting or photograph. Everything about him was dark—his eyes, his hair, his lashes, his clothes. The only light thing about him was his pale, pale skin. His features were perfect, his height tall but not too tall and his body lean. She knew that everywhere he went, women, and men, would swoon. Despite her physical attraction to him, what gave her pause were the words of an old acquaintance.

It was _him_.

She finished her jerky and lay down, a sleeping roll as a pillow. He walked to her, took off his hat, put his sword within range, and lay next to her, his head resting on the space she had left him on the bedroll. He turned onto his side, his back to the barrier, and laid an arm over her stomach, able to reach his sword easily. She turned her head and rested it against his, not afraid of the close proximity of him to her neck. He filled his nostrils with her scent, content to be so near. She slept peacefully, knowing she was safe. He merely rested, the night being his most active time and watched her. He did not understand, and yet he was not bothered.

Birds sang with the rising sun, seemingly too soon. The sunlight, filtered through the leaves, woke them gently from their rest. She rose slowly, running her fingers through his hair for a moment before fully rising. He rose with her, helping her break down the campsite. He was determined to spend the day with her before he had to move on. He wanted, no, needed to know everything about her.

She had loaded everything onto a hover-bike that held two large metal cases. As soon as she secured her things, they both turned towards the sound of approaching horses. There were about ten, and the heavier sound indicating they all had riders. She reached into a side pocket and pulled out a syringe with a milky white liquid inside. She turned to her guest and handed it to him.

"If I attack you, use it on me," she instructed.

He took the syringe in his hand. Her voice was disciplined, and honest. Her pitch was perfect, not too high, nor too low. He did not question her instructions.

She walked away from him, towards the sound of the horses. She was about fifty feet away when the riders entered the clearing. The clearing itself was fairly large. There were ten riders, and they all fit easily inside with room to maneuver. Each of them was armed with some sort of weapon from fire arms to blades to whips and chains. She merely stood before them, but her stance was misleading. She was ready to spring at any moment.

"Finally stopped running, freak?" one of the men taunted, the leader of the band.

She said nothing, calculating possible scenarios and attack plans.

"Boss, what about that guy?" the man to the right asked and pointed at her guest.

"He's not your concern," she replied, her voice calm. "Your fight's with me."

"You're damn right it's with you!' the leader exclaimed and spit. "You have a lot of fucking nerve coming into my camp and fucking shit up. Killed Benny last time we found you, and I liked Benny. We've got you now, bitch. You've got two choices. One, surrender nice and peaceful and I'll make sure the boys are more lenient on you. Two, fight, and I'll make you wish you were dead."

"Go home, Ross," she answered, letting her rage out slowly. It was a pity he would not give up. She only did what she did cause it was a job. "You're not supposed to kill the messenger. Get the guy who hired me. If you come after me, I will kill you this time."

"You fucking cunt!" he cursed and dismounted, his men following suit. "I'm sick of your fucking smart-ass, snarky, confident, cock-sucking attitude."

Without a second warning, he uncoiled his whip, one used to incapacitate werewolves, and launched it at her. She dodged, and the dance of death commenced.

She moved all over the battlefield, avoiding all the attacks as she charged towards them. She unleashed some of her rage, ending this ridiculous escapade once and for all. The first man she reached held a riffle, which she ripped from his hands so hard that she nearly dislocated his arms. Unable to recover from the pain quickly enough, his face met the butt end of the riffle, shattering completely. As he fell, she turned, eyes glowing, and fired at the next man at close range, hitting him at nearly point-blank range in the head. His friend behind, but smartly ducking, registered that the fanged beast was coming for him next and tried to dodge, but the riffle slammed into his ribs, breaking them, causing him to fly backwards into another man, brain matter all over his clothes and blood soaking the ground. He screamed in pain, a rib puncturing his lung and he began coughing blood. A man behind her tried to stab her in the back, and she turned and grabbed his wrist, the rage emanating from her. The potential death-dealer's eyes went wide with terror, and then he screamed in unfathomable pain as his knife-wielding arm was ripped from his body, blood spraying everywhere. Before losing consciousness, he was savagely beaten with his own arm, which was somehow still gripping the knife.

The idiots were so damn loud, and weak. She hated their stupid screaming and pathetic attacks. If they had only left her alone, none of this would have happened. And there was blood all over her. She hated cleaning that up. Someone charged at her, screaming a battle cry. She took the knife from the torn arm and stabbed him in the gut. He was in shock for a moment, then screamed in her face, a pitiful attempt to intimidate her as he made a final attack. She ripped out his throat, removed the knife, picked up the body with both hands and lifted it in the air, the blood from his throat pouring over her. She threw the body at two more men charging at her. She heard the sickening crunch of bones from the corpse and the men, having thrown the body with so much force that not only were her would-be attackers sent to the ground, but sent to the ground after hitting the trees behind them. She picked up the riffle and shot them both in the head, never missing a step. She ducked a hook meant for the back of her head and kicked backwards and up, hitting someone in the jaw and sending him flying. Her new attacker jumped back up as she turned towards him. No wonder his jaw was so hard, it was made of metal. She fired a shot at his head, but he deflected it with a hand. A metal fucking hand? That only made her angrier. She flipped the gun around and leapt forward, proceeding to beat him with the riffle. He blocked with his arm until the gun shattered. Useless piece of shit.

Feeling he was getting the upper hand, her attacker made the mistake of looking smug. She tackled him to the ground, straddling his chest. Where was that smug look now? Gone, especially once she ripped out his eyes. He screamed in pain, and she ripped out his throat, blood spraying all over her.

She ducked quickly and felt a bullet fly past her head. She pulled a knife from her boot and threw it at the rifleman, hitting him square in the head. He died instantly. She threw another knife at the last man, Ross, hitting him in the calf. He turned and flung his whip, terror in his eyes. He caught her, but she broke free and charged.

She ducked low as he tried to clock her, then sprung upwards, two fingers punching through his lower jaw. She braced with a hand on his forehead and ripped it off. He gurgled, his tongue wagging with the lack of support, and his body fell, his eyes on her as he sank to his knees. The noise pissed her off, so she shoved his head back and stuffed one end of his jaw down the hole in his throat after pulling out that stupid tongue with all its wiggling. She broke his neck while shoving his head back, so he remained silent. The horses had run away when the fighting began.

She turned slowly as she sensed someone behind her, but she did not make a move to attack him. She battled with her rage for control. He was calm, so fucking calm, but he knew he was safe, so he could be calm. She grabbed her head with bloodstained hands and screamed, releasing the remaining rage inside. The trees themselves trembled.

He watched the scene. He was not afraid. In fact, he was aroused, and not from the blood. The sheer ferocity she had exhibited was so opposite of him, and yet he knew instinctively that she felt as he had. There was a darkness inside her fighting to get out, and she had to control it, just like he.

His left hand made a whistling sound. "That wasn't even full strength. She's just as powerful as you are."

He smiled a little, the feeling coming from his soul.

"We were made for each other," he said to his parasitic friend, using all his effort to contain his excitement.

Finally calm, she walked towards him after retrieving her knives. She needed to clean herself off before she could move on, and soon. Blood attracted all manner of creatures, especially in this area. She kept a respectable distance and held out a bloody hand. Somehow she knew that the scent of blood could release something within him that he was trying to keep contained. He dropped the syringe in her open hand, careful himself not to come into contact with the blood. She put it back into the side pocket and went to her hover-bike.

He mounted his horse as she mounted her metal steed. He followed her through the woods, easily keeping up and showing off his horsemanship as they maneuvered through the trees. They travelled for about twenty minutes before reaching the bottom of a waterfall. It was beautiful, with clean water completely free of the taint of the night. Such places were rare and far between.

She parked her bike and turned it off. Without hesitation, she took off her boots, wiping them clean with a rag, and put them on the seat of the bike. She wiped her hands clean before clearing out her pockets, securing the items in one of the bike's compartments. She spared him one glance, then walked under the waterfall, not removing any more of her clothing. The water was nice and cool, falling with enough power to wash away the blood, but not so powerful that it was physically uncomfortable. One piece at a time, she stripped down, cleaning off the blood before putting her clothes out to dry in the sun.

He watched, mesmerized. As she stripped, he felt like she was peeling away layers of herself, showing him her soul. It was not erotic, although his body was reacting. They were connecting on a level above the physical.

"What a woman," his left hand commented, seeing and feeling what his master did. "Wait, what are you doing?"

His master was stripping, exposing himself to the elements.

"You realize this could be a trap? Then again, you could use some action, but are you sure?" it questioned, survival instincts prompting the questions.

"Quiet, I need her," the master replied, his tone strict. "Stay out of this one."

Without another word, understanding, the parasite went silent.

She was not alarmed when she saw him standing under the waterfall. His skin was perfect, no scars whatsoever. She could clearly see the definition of each muscle. As he advanced, she was almost ashamed of her scar-covered body, so imperfect in comparison. His dark eyes held hers, the need between them driving her insane. He wanted her, and she wanted him. She nearly feared that lightning would form between them. He stopped his advance a foot from her, his breathing hard. The tension was palpable. She felt she was about to break.

The moment before she lost control, he grabbed her and crushed her to him, his mouth kissing hers fervently. She clung to him, her fingers digging into his back, pressing herself as close to him as possible. His fingers wound themselves through her hair, holding the back of her head. She felt his hardness against her leg, strong and straight. She wanted him to take her, needed it desperately. He had the same need, and he did not leave her waiting long. He lifted her and pinned her against the rock wall of the waterfall and pressed himself into her, feeling her heat and desire through the connection. The passion and fury left both of them breathless after they climaxed, still clinging to each other as he softened, their foreheads resting against each other, fangs slightly elongated, and both panting. When they regained enough strength in their legs, they helped each other from under the waterfall and collapsed on the ground, he in the shade and she in the sun, his arms holding her close. The running water took a lot of energy from him, but it was worth it. She stayed awake as he napped, regaining his strength in the shade.

He took her again when he woke in the afternoon, out of the shade. He loved how the sun fell on her, even though it beat down on his back. They both rested in the shade afterwards, her head on his chest as he stroked her hair.

He kissed her forehead and looked into her golden eyes.

"Ryoko," she said, her eyes filled with love.

"D," he replied.

They kissed once more, then went back to sleep for the next half hour. They were bonded.


End file.
